Do Witches Make House Calls?
by Renarien
Summary: Katrina isn't the only witch that can help them. But can witches really be trusted?
1. Chapter 1

Shadows moved, dancing in insane whirls, as Ichabod Crane stumbled through the darkened woods. The insensate form of his fellow Witness weighed down his arms and threw his balance off but the man out of time kept stumbling on, knowing that if he could not get free of the forest both he and Abbie would be doomed. He was exhausted and it came as a shock when he stumbled out of the underbrush into a clearing, a solid cabin with lights shining in the windows only meters away.

"Praise God," Crane gasped and staggered towards the stairs.

On the porch the door opened and a small woman came out, eyes peering sharply into the night. A bright light suddenly illuminated the two Witnesses, and Crane came to a halt at the foot of the stairs. "Madam, please…"

"Inside," She commanded, eyes scanning the edge of the forestry. She let Crane go first, as though guarding his back, and locked the door securely as she closed it behind them.

Having been cold and drenched for hours, the warmth of the fire was more than welcome but it stole the last of Crane's strength and he sank to his knees, cradling the Lieutenant to him. She was cold to touch, barely breathing, skin ashen. He had no knowledge of what to do, who to call to help him battle the unseen assault that was happening to the other Witness, and he was shaking as much with fear as with the chill.

"What happened?" The woman who owned the cabin asked in a sharp, no nonsense tone as she dropped down in front of him and reached out to check the Lieutenant's vital signs.

Crane knew he would likely be deemed insane but he had no choice at this point but to hope that Providence would keep them safe. "She has been cursed. Please Madam, I implore you to call for a priest as I fear she will not live if we were to try and transport her to a church."

Grey eyes flashed up to meet his own, no trace of disbelief in them. "The phone lines are cut so we're not going to get a priest at this hour, even if the road is still passable after that storm."

Crane bowed his head. "No…"

"Nope, you're right. Whatever it was won't win this. Here, put her down in front of the fire. The kettle is on, get yourself and me a coffee while I get some things together."

Stunned, Crane looked up at the small woman who was now radiating a determined power. "You are a witch," he breathed, relief flooding him.

She grinned, a sharp and almost feral expression. "You bet. And whatever it is that laid that curse is about to have a very bad night."

As Crane hauled himself into the kitchen to do as he was bid, the woman vanished upstairs to retrieve whatever items she required for the spell to release the Lieutenant. The stove was gas, and accustomed to these things now Crane easily prepared the two drinks and brought them back out into the lounge, to discover that two cats had taken up residence either side of the stricken woman on the floor. Both felines watched him calmly, and Crane noted that the Lieutenant's breathing seemed a little easier. He turned at the sound behind him to see the owner depositing an armful of items onto the table and he held the second mug out to her.

"Thanks. I'm going to need this," she said, taking a long draught of the drink.

"It is I who should thank you, " Crane said, giving an abbreviated bow. "I had despaired of being able to help Miss Mills. Might I know your name?"

She flashed him a smile, though she looked a little distant as though thinking hard. "Danae Byrnes."

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Miss Byrnes. My name is Ichabod Crane."

Danae reached up to free her cloud of dark hair from the confining ponytail and gestured Crane to the lounge. She took the armchair, gazing at the stricken Witness but her attention turning inwards as she considered what had to be done. Crane was anxious to free the Lieutenant, but waited patiently as her condition was not worsening in the slightest and he knew well the dangers that one was exposed to when battling dark forces. He felt a twinge of guilt for dragging another innocent into their War and looked up to question if Danae wanted to become entangled in this, as he knew she would be if she took this step.

Her grey eyes halted him before the words even reached his lips. As he looked up she had glanced his way and their eyes caught, and he found himself silenced by the sheer Power in her gaze. This was no weak willed dabbler, he suddenly understood. This woman was a master at her craft and no mere healer of caster of love spells; no, this woman was a warrior and her weapons were the unseen forces of nature that so often were turned against himself and Miss Mills. So instead of questioning her, he asked "How may I assist you?"

"You two are bound, so it would be best if you are beside her. Touching her skin to skin would help the most."

"That would be… most improper."

Danae's voice sharpened. "Now is not the time to worry about your delicate 18th century sensibilities, Crane! This may mean the difference to calling her back or having her lost."

Shock slackened his features for a moment. "How did you know?"

"It's my job to know. Now, move. We have to get this started."

Crane rose and shed coat and shirt, then lay down on the rug as the cats moved aside and gathered the Lieutenant's body against his own, blushing slightly as he did so and then grimacing at the clammy feeling of her wet clothes.

"Might as well get those off too," Danae said calmly. "Last thing we want is for her to catch something from lying around in wet clothes."

"Indeed." With his attention now focused on the benefits of getting his partner dry, Crane quickly divested her of everything down to her underwear, and ditched his own wet and muddy trousers as well. Danae gave him a quick smile of approval.

"Now, I want you to think only of your bond, what you must do together, what you feel for each other," she said, lighting candles and incense. "She is gone from here at the moment, and that bond will lead her back. She trusts you and that holds more power than you know. I'll break the curse then assist you to return her."

Crane frowned at a sudden thought. "Miss Byrnes, what will this do to you? I know enough to know that no work of this like is done without cost."

She met his eyes and smiled. "That doesn't matter. What matters is getting the other Witness whole and safe. Are you ready?"

He wanted to argue, but sighed and tightened his arms slightly. "I am. I am at your command, Miss Byrnes, and will do as you bid. But.." ice blue eyes met hers in an unwavering stare. "I shall not allow you to do harm to yourself in this. Too many innocents have died in this War and neither Miss Mills nor I will countenance another death on our behalf."

"It won't kill me," Danae said in a gentle voice, peace once again bringing a smile to her delicate features. "Trust, Mr Crane. The more completely you do your part, the easier mine will be."

"Then let us begin," Crane said, bending his head to the Lieutenant's.

Her voice rose, summoning powers to assist in her fight, and then there was music that surrounded them, seemingly in the very floor and walls. The air vibrated with it, the candle flames danced to its time, and she sang her spell of freeing in a voice that rose and dipped with the purity of the surging waves of the ocean. Crane found himself dizzy with the sensations and concentrated on the woman in his arms, on remembering everything about how they met and how they came to be what they were to each other now. He heard, dimly, an inharmonious voice trying to break through, but Danae's voice rose above it like a whip and crushed it to silence. In his arms, the Lieutenant gave a great gasp and her eyes flew open. "Crane?!"

"I am here, Leftenant," he said into her ear, arms tightening so she could not slide from him again. "Be still, we are safe and you are well."

Danae's song changed then, peace and rest now in the music and her voice. The Lieutenant's muscles unlocked, and with a sigh her head dropped forward, her breathing deepening into sleep. Only then did Crane realise that he, too, was being compelled into slumber, and he tried to fight it. His head came up, his eyes seeking the witch, but all he saw was the unblinking gaze of the cats that followed him into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Awareness returned slowly to Crane; the sound of a soft rumbling, the hiss and pop of a fire, and further out, wind against solid walls. He could feel a solid surface beneath him and his cheek was against a soft fabric that smelled faintly of exotic spices. Against his bare skin he could feel a weight that was textured, like the old crochet blankets he was accustomed to. In a rush he recalled being compelled to sleep and the danger he and the Lieutenant had faced the night before and his eyes snapped open. The rumbling sound came from a cat curled up close to them in front of the fire, and the room around him was free of any other person except the Lieutenant, whom he was curled around and whose head rested on his arm. She must have sensed him wake, as she sleepily murmured "Mmmm? Crane?"

_Dear God, I am all but unclothed! _Crane thought, but could not prevent himself from tightening his embrace a little. "I am here, Leftenant. Are you well?"

"I think so. My back is never going to be the same from sleeping on this floor, but I feel okay. What happened? And are you… naked?" Her voice went from sleepy to very aware as she said the last few words and Crane could feel himself blush.

At that moment the witch came into the room bearing two steaming mugs. Crane tensed, then noted the slow way the woman moved, the tired look in her eyes. Instinct advised that the witch was no threat, though the reason for her to compel him to slumber the night before eluded him.

"You'll both want coffee," Danae said, putting the mugs on the table. "I washed your clothes while you slept – they're there on the couch. Lunch will be ready soon."

"Lunch?" Miss Mills was quite startled. "How long did we sleep?"

"Nearly twelve hours," Danae said with a tired smile. "You both needed it. Come on outside when you're dressed, there's plenty."

After the witch had left the room, Crane said "I shall avert my gaze whilst you don your clothing, Miss Mills, then we shall go and partake of the repast Miss Byrnes has prepared for us. After last night's activities I believe we could both do with a decent meal."

"Good idea."

As good as his word, Crane watched the cat as the Lieutenant rolled out from under the blanket and swiftly dressed. She went to the window to peer out whilst he dressed himself in a very welcome gesture of respect for his privacy, though when she heard him putting his boots on she turned back around, curiosity lively in her dark eyes. "So – were you naked under there?"

"I most certainly was not," Crane replied, giving her an arch look, marred slightly by the heightened colour in his face. "We were both wet through, and Miss Byrnes advised it would be best to remove the wet clothing. Also, that we be skin to skin was necessary to ensure the complete success of the ritual to free you from the curse. I was not entirely comfortable with the impropriety, but her logic was unassailable so I removed our outer wear and left only our under garments to protect modesty."

"Makes sense," the Lieutenant nodded. "But who is she? And how did we get here?"

"Miss Byrnes is a witch," Crane replied. "And I carried you here."

Dark eyes met his in a penetrating stare. "You don't trust her, do you?"

Drawing a deep breath Crane thought about the night before. "She undoubtedly helped us, and saved your life Lieutenant. After that however, she also used her magic to force me to sleep when I would have much rather remain awake in case something came for us even here. I am all too aware of what can be done to one whilst under the effects of an enchanted sleep so I am rather loathe to feel entirely comfortable around someone who can render me insensate so easily and against whom I have no protection."

"Yeah, I can relate to that."

For a moment the two simply gazed at each other, both seeking to assure themselves that the other was whole, and well. In that look was the understanding that it was the two of them against an unknown facet of this case but that they would remain together. While they were together, nothing could truly harm them. With a short nod they picked up their coffee and headed out the back door.

Danae was cooking at a strange contraption as they exited, and immediately they could smell eggs, bacon and other things frying. They sat at the table and looked out at the back yard. Lit by the noon sun, the forest was simply pleasant scenery and the clearing held an herb garden and vegetable garden, all growing enthusiastically. Moments after they sat down, Danae came over and placed a large platter with the fruits of her labours steaming and still sizzling on it down on the table and chose a seat for herself.

"Dig in, there's plenty," She advised.

Crane and the Lieutenant glanced at each other, neither trusting the woman seated with them. Danae frowned at them, took a drink from her coffee, and said "What? Please don't tell me you're both vegetarians?"

"Hardly," the Lieutenant said with a quiet snort.

"Miss Byrnes, I find it hard to trust that what you put before us is without chemical or magical influence after the conclusion of last night's ritual," Crane said, facing her directly.

Danae sighed, weariness again evident. "You both needed the sleep. Abbie needed it to heal; that curse did a real number on her spirit and she was wounded. You were exhausted and were flirting with hypothermia, and you certainly weren't going to be of any use to her if you were not properly rested when you two go out after this thing again. I really did not feel like arguing with you after what the ritual took out of me, so I made sure you slept as well. I realise you don't like the idea but honestly? It was the best thing for you. Besides, if by some chance something had attacked Abbie in her dreams, you were bound with her and could have protected her – which you could not have done had you been awake."

For the life of him Crane could find no shred of falsity in the woman's words. He reached for some of the meat sitting so temptingly in front of him, finding in him an extreme hunger after sitting with the scent of the food teasing him. The Lieutenant reached for some as well, and Danae took her share and started eating with enthusiasm. This reassured Crane further that while high-handed, the witch's motives had been purely altruistic.

"Maybe you could tell us how you know about us," Miss Mills said, and Crane admired her for the calmly curious tone she took.

Danae nodded, finishing her mouthful before speaking. "I got a hint… oh, years ago now… That things were starting to become imbalanced. You know I'm a witch. What you probably don't know is that I am what you may call an agent of Balance. Not black, not white, but whatever is needed to keep the world from tipping too far towards one or the other as that would lead to stagnation rather than growth. I moved here about six months ago when I was given to understand that Sleepy Hollow would be ground zero for whatever it was that was brewing. My Goddess has been showing me things about what is coming – quite specifically you two."

"And who is your Goddess, if I may ask?" Crane said, watching her with intent.

"At this point, I'm not able to say," Danae replied calmly. "The time isn't right for it. Too soon would be as bad as too late. I will say that as one who guards the Balance, I am most definitely on your side."

Crane nodded and sat back with the air of someone who has received the answer he expected and approved of, and applied himself to the meal again. "I must say, your skill as a cook is one to be envied. I have not had so fine a simple repast as this in some time."

Danae smiled. "Thanks. It's nice to cook for someone other than just me for once."

The Lieutenant grinned. "Feel free to cook for us any time you like."

The two women shared a quiet laugh and Crane noted that the sisterhood of women had not changed at all in the last two centuries. Give women domestic things to talk about, or the folly of men to discuss, and all women regardless of background became sisters. The though brought a certain foreboding, as usually this sisterhood resulted in woe for the men around them.

"So you know you're caught up in it now," the Lieutenant said after a few moments dedicated to eating. "That thing is going to come after you. It's not going to just let you saving me slide."

"I know," the answer came with calm resolution.

"You knew this would happen," the statement came out of Crane's mouth even before he had even truly processed the thought. The woman was too calm, too well prepared for what happened the night before, for there to be any other explanation.

"This? No. Not exactly. But I did know that I was to be involved, and that I would assist the two Witnesses," Danae gave a wry smile and added "I just had no idea how that was supposed to happen. Maybe we should thank whatever caused last night for introducing us."

As Danae burst out laughing at the scandalized expression on Crane's face the Miss Mills said "That'll be a cold day in Hell."


	3. Chapter 3

Lieutenant Mills was catching up on some long overdue paperwork when Captain Irving called her to accompany him to the scene of a recent murder. The distraction was both welcome and a royal irritant, as she seriously needed to catch up on the paperwork but the very nature of the task made it doomed to failure. She was pretty sure that paperwork bred out of nothing in some arcane process that could save hundreds of dying and endangered species if only humans could work out how to replicate it. As it was, she was starting to suspect that it wasn't the horsemen, Moloc, or any supernatural event that would herald the End of Days, but paperwork reaching some sort of critical mass and burying the Witnesses.

"Where's Crane?" Irving asked as they strode fast out to his vehicle.

"Out at the cabin," Mills replied. "I had paperwork and the last thing I need doing that are his rants about the price of food or that fact that I buy water distracting me."

Irving blinked. "Yeah, I can see how that would be distracting. Hopefully we won't need him for this one. It might be just a case of drug related violence."

"That would be a relief."

Glancing at her as they headed out to the site Irving grimaced and said "Never thought I would be happy about a bit of everyday crime."

"Welcome to my life, Sir," Mills replied.

Twenty minutes later and neither one of the officers was happy. The body was spread eagled on the floor; blood not sprayed around like from an arterial bleed or pooled beneath it, but rather spread out around the body in a series of deliberate symbols. More symbols were carved into the corpse's flesh, all the more visible for the person's clothes had been taken off and were neatly folded in another room. The person had been male; though there was a portion missing that had all of the attending officers grimacing in horrified sympathy.

Irving hoped that had been done after the poor bastard was killed.

"So what have we got?" Irving asked Mills after she had taken pictures on her phone from all angles.

"Might be Egyptian," Mills replied. "I've seen something similar to those symbols before. I'll take it to Crane when we're done here. He's more familiar with this sort of thing."

"Great. Egyptian." Irving sighed and glared at his Lieutenant. "You two find out what's going on and how to stop it. I'll work out how I'm going to explain this to the Mayor."

"Yes Sir." Mills was not sure at that point which one of them had the worse job.

After checking with a few of the technicians on scene Mills got a ride back to the station, then picked up her own car and drove out to Corbin's cabin. It was late afternoon, only a couple of hours to sundown when she pulled up. She strode up to the porch and let herself in, knocking but getting no reply. The inside was silent and she instinctively knew Crane was not in the cabin. Frowning, noting that there were signs he had been in the cabin recently, she moved towards the back door and out onto the back porch. What she saw down on the lawn had her drawing her pistol without even thinking about it.

"Crane! What happened? Are you alright?"

He was standing at the big wood-slab work bench, a fire burning in the fire ring not too far away. Crane's arms were covered in blood and he was shirtless, his front covered with spots of it. He took in her expression, her drawn weapon, and looked confused.

"Leftenant, good evening. I am quite well, thank you. You seem alarmed whatever is the matter?"

Mills felt her eyebrows rise sharply. "You're covered in blood! What the hell happened here?"

"Ah," Crane managed to look both sheepish and pleased with himself all at once which was quite a feat for any normal person but for Crane quite easy. "That. Well, last night I spent some time in research on that which we encountered in the woods and unfortunately my searches bore no answers to the questions I had, and so quite vexed I resolved that I should take some exercise to clear my head and renew concentration. Noticing that the good Sherriff kept stock of some fabulous hunting arms and knowing the deplorable pricing for such staples as meat at your 'supper-market' I determined that I should serve both purposes if I were to go hunting. My hunt yielded far more satisfying result than my research and I have spent most of the day butchering the prime deer I brought down," and now he grimaced down at himself and added "With more enthusiasm than skill, I fear. However, a haunch is over on yonder spit and has been roasting since early morning. Tonight, Miss Mills, we shall dine like kings."

Holstering her pistol Mills shook her head. "Okay. So you're gonna put all of this in the freezer?"

"Indeed. There should be ample to sufficiently see to my needs for most of the winter, if I can acquire other staples and perhaps bag a few birds to add to the cache," Crane replied, turning to complete the final cuts he was making and bagging up the meat. "Now, what brings you here Leftenant? Has something else gone awry?

"As usual," Mills said with a sigh and sat on the stairs. "There's been another murder. Victim was found in the middle of a bunch of symbols, with more carved into his body. He'd also… well; he was mutilated in other ways too."

Crane shot her an intent look. "In what other way?"

"How about you get cleaned up, we eat and then go over gruesome corpses? I didn't get lunch and I think we should eat while we can."

"As you say. Evil does unfortunately not make allowances for those most basic of human needs." Crane's wry agreement held a hint of sarcasm that made her smile.

Hours later both Crane and the Lieutenant had eaten more than was perhaps good for them, particularly in light of the gruesome pictures that they were now studying on the laptop. Thankfully, neither Witness was given to faintness when it came to the sight of bloody and horrific wounds; a fact that Crane gave was both appalled by and thankful for in equal measure.

"It's not pretty," the Lieutenant warned as she worked to bring the picture up.

"I can quite assure you, Miss Mills, that I have seen horrors upon the battlefield that have had the unfortunate result of hardening me to… Oh dear Lord," Crane swallowed convulsively as the 'other ways' the victim had been mutilated in came to light. "That poor unfortunate."

"It might help to know that… that particular wound was done after death," the Lieutenant said.

"There is some comfort in that," Crane acknowledged with a glance showing his gratitude. He turned his attention once more to the markings on body and surroundings, his keen intellect becoming apparent in the sudden stillness of form and intent stare. The Lieutenant relaxed back, knowing by now when to give her partner quiet and peace to make whatever connections had to be made.

"This was a ritual death," Crane said after not too much time had passed. "These symbols here are Egyptian, connected to the Dead, though the exact meaning is unknown to me. I will tell you this; whoever this is was not an unwilling victim, Leftenant, but a willing sacrifice for whatever dark ritual his death has fuelled. He was bled dry deliberately, so that none of the blood and thus the power was lost to the ritual. Quite possibly he was drugged though I would hazard a guess that he was not completely insensate at the time that the rite was performed."

The Lieutenant grimaced. "Great. Any idea where we could get more information on this ritual and what it was for? We need to know if there are going to be others."

"You are quite correct, and I believe that Miss Byrnes may be of assistance in this. I noted several items of Egyptian origin within her home during our sojourn there."

"Great so we go out there and..." Whatever the Lieutenant was about to say was interrupted by her mobile telephone, causing her to scowl and Crane knowingly and pull it from her belt. "Mills."

"Yes, Sir," she listened intently, giving Crane another meaningful glance as she heard the news from her Captain. After only a few moments she hung up and turned grave dark eyes up to her fellow Witness.

"We better move fast. Another victim like this has just been found."


	4. Chapter 4

Despite the lateness of the hour when they pulled up outside Danae's cabin the lights were on, including the front porch light so they could make their way up the stairs in safety. Out of long practiced habit Abbie was the one to knock on the door whilst Crane stood looking out into the night, guarding her back and looking for anything that might be stalking them from the trees. The door opened with a gust of warm air that carried the scent of fresh baking and coffee.

"Come in, the muffins are just out of the oven," Danae said as she stepped aside to let them in.

"You knew we were coming?" the Lieutenant asked, frowning.

Danae smiled. "Pretty much. Nobody else visits at this hour of the night."

Crane saw the Lieutenant give her a sharp look, but she did not pursue the fact that they both knew the witch had not exactly given them a clear answer. The two cats lazily opened their eyes and surveyed the visitors, then deciding they were neither threat nor food providers both went right back to their naps. The space was filled with cheerful golden light, the promised delicacies on the low coffee table with coffee pot and cups also ready. Danae fixed their coffee, handed each a muffin, and sat down with her own beverage to hear what had brought the Witnesses to her door late in the evening when they were not being attacked.

"There have been several murders in the last few days," Crane began. "The bodies are mutilated, and I believe it is some type of ritual sacrifice though I am unfamiliar with all of the symbols used and have never heard of the method. Having seen that you have Egyptian artefacts within your home I surmised you might be able to recognise what is being done."

Danae's stormy eyes became darker still as she frowned. "I can have a look but I can't guarantee anything. Egyptian rituals have been corrupted over the centuries and there were quite a few paths of magic within the culture."

"Anything you can give us will help," the Lieutenant assured her. "I have to warn you though, it's not pretty."

"These things never are," Danae sighed, and for a moment Crane thought he saw a shadow gathered around the witch, but an instant later it was gone and he assumed it had just been a momentary dimming of the lights.

The Lieutenant produced her laptop and performed the rite of logging in, then brought up the clearest photograph of the symbols that she had. As soon as Danae saw the picture her breath came out in a hiss that brought the cats instantly to their feet. Strange gold light flashed briefly in the depths of the witch's grey eyes, and the cats growled low in their chests. Danae closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep calming breath, before looking far more dispassionately at the photograph.

"I recognise it," She said shortly. "It's a very complex ritual, used to power a larger working. Unfortunately without seeing other corpses and the symbols used I can't work out exactly what the purpose is."

The cats settled back down but did not go back to sleep. Instead they watched their mistress intently, almost as though waiting for or expecting a command. Crane looked to the animals, then back at the woman. "You seemed to have rather a strong reaction to the sight," he ventured.

He felt the Lieutenant's sudden tension, and realised he may well have just made a grave error with the way the cats suddenly looked to him with a terrible intensity. Cursing himself for a fool he gripped his coffee mug tighter as it was the only weapon he had to hand. Should the cats or Danae attack he knew he could make sure that Abbie got enough room for a clear shot, or to escape.

Danae sighed and murmured something in a liquid language. For a second there was the scent of the dry, hot breath of the desert, then the cats settled down again and the tension was erased from the air. "That ritual… It's unholy to me," She said in a low voice. "It is warped, twisted. It takes something natural and necessary and turns it into a tool to wreak havoc on the world. For make no mistake, Ichabod Crane, that rite is ONLY to produce something evil. We just don't know what."

Crane felt his hair rise at that pronouncement, and Miss Mills shivered a little. Then she blinked and said "Wait… The ritual is unholy to you, but what about the death?"

"Death doesn't bother me," Danae said with a shrug. "It's a part of the cycle, nothing evil. Everyone has one eventually."

"Right," the Lieutenant sighed, shoulders drooping. "So we have no idea what's going."

"Hardly 'no idea'. Look, you have only shown me one picture, if you can get photos of any other victims I should be able to work out what the ritual is for, and where it's going to be," Danae said briskly. "If we can do that, we can stop whatever they're trying to do."

"Can you block their spell?" Crane asked.

She nodded. "I can block it, or even reverse if I have to, depending on what exactly they're up to. Can you get me a picture of the other victim tomorrow Abbie?"

The Lieutenant and Crane exchanged a look, and then turned back to Danae. "Sure. Can you come to the old police Archive around twelve? We can show you there."

"Done. I'll bring lunch."

As the Lieutenant chuckled Crane stated "Miss Byrnes, I believe that is the best suggestion anyone has had this evening."

"Oh I don't know Crane. Your idea for dinner was pretty good," the Lieutenant turned an impish grin on him.

Crane half-bowed to his partner at the compliment. "Miss Mills, I am delighted to have been able to supply you with a suitable meal after all the kindnesses you have extended to me."

"He bagged a deer and had a haunch on the spit all day," the Lieutenant confided to Danae.

"Oh I haven't had venison in years," Danae said wistfully.

"Then I shall bring some on the morrow and we shall share the fruits of our labours," Crane declared with a small smile.

"And what are you bringing tomorrow, Abbie," Danae asked her with a teasing grin.

Eying the forensic photograph still showing on the laptop the Lieutenant replied "Corpse photos."

Dawn brought light but did not do much to ward off the chill in the air as Crane wandered along the bank of the river the next morning, breathing deeply of the forest-scented air before the usual chaos of this time overwhelmed everything with its noise and stench of smog. As he walked a wry smile tugged briefly at his lips. He knew he had a tendency to romanticize his own time, but in his hours of reflection Crane could admit there were advantages to this time. It might constantly be loud and garish, and the manners of the population may have slipped dramatically in the intervening centuries, but at least the place smelled cleaner on the whole. Modern indoor plumbing and efficient sewerage systems meant it was rare to be overcome by the reek of effluent in the street, and although cars had their own unique smell, at least when they were turned off they did not leave mounds of less than sweet smelling pollutant around the place. Horses were not nearly so considerate.

Up ahead a small group of older teens were gathered into a tight knot, and Crane frowned. Almost as a rule teens did not rise from their slumbers this early and the group looked almost like they were huddled together as though frightened. He noted they were in the uniforms of one of the local schools. As he drew closer a shift in the wind brought the smell of decay to him and he grimaced even as he felt himself tighten up in reaction to unseen danger.

"Hey! Hey, you're that guy from the university, right? The one working with Lieutenant Mills?" One of the young men said as Crane drew level with them.

He stopped and inclined his head courteously. "I am indeed. Ichabod Crane, at your service."

"Yeah, uh… Chad Collins," The youth nodded back to him, and glanced uneasily towards the trees that came almost down to the water line just ahead. "Listen, you'll probably think we're nuts or something…"

"The cats won't let us through," One of the young women said in a rush.

Crane looked at the tree line and could just make out the figures of a few large felines in the brush. He frowned slightly, turning his gaze back to the youths and now noticing a few had torn edges to skirts and trousers. "These cats, are they normally here?" Crane asked.

Chad relaxed a little when the older man did not immediately berate them or question their sanity. "Yeah, there's a fair number of feral cats, you know? They live here, hunting fish and birds and stuff. But I never seen 'em get aggressive with anyone. Sure they'll take a swipe if you try and trap 'em, but they just get out of your way if you're just walking through. They've gone mental or something. They got in our way, and when we tried to push through, they attacked."

"Are any showing signs of rabies?" Crane asked, concerned for the youths.

"No," the girl who spoke up after Chad was definite about that. "My dad's a vet and I work in the clinic on the holidays. They're not rabid. They're not…. It's not natural, what they're doing Mr Crane."

Giving them a slight, reassuring smile Crane said "You wait here whilst I go and have a look."

"You shouldn't go on your own," Chad said. He glanced uneasily at the trees and added "It's creepy in there. Dunno how, but it's creepy."

Clapping the youth on the shoulder Crane said "And that is exactly why you should remain here."

As he drew near the tree line Crane once again smelled the disgusting air of decay and identified it as rotting meat of some sort. Where the felines simply protecting a kill? Five came out onto the well-worn track between the trees as he approached, staring intently at him and making it abundantly clear he should not go where he was intending to go. They showed no signs of aggression, or even fear of him as normal feral animals would. Crane came to a halt, staring past them at the mist that clung to the shadows beneath the trees that the sunlight had not yet reached to burn off. He felt that same crawling sense of dread the children had and drew in a sharp breath. Evil rested in those shadows.

"Move aside," He said softly to the cats. "I must see what has happened here."

A large tom stared directly into his eyes for a few seconds, then the cats sitting in the middle of the path moved aside for him to pass, and as he silently ghosted forwards they closed ranks around him. The tom moved ahead, off the trail, looking back with far too intelligent eyes to confirm Crane was following. Having seen things far stranger than animals pointing the way for him – after all, what were hunting hounds for? – Crane let the cats lead him deeper into the trees. The stench of rotting meat became thicker, until all of a sudden the cats turned tail and vanished back into the scrub. Crane rounded a large boulder and his hand went up to cover his mouth and nose in instinctive defence as his arrival disturbed a cloud of flies which swarmed into the air off the corpse they had been feeding on. The smell was indescribable and Crane staggered back around the boulder and away from the site so he could take a few deep breaths and settle his churning stomach. Looking around to fix the location in his mind, Crane swiftly went back out to the youths who were waiting looking very anxious at the edge of the water.

"You will want to find another route to your place of education today, I fear," Crane announced as he fished around in his coat pocket for the mobile phone the Lieutenant had pressed upon him.

"It's another body isn't it?" Chad asked, swallowing convulsively.

"I am afraid so," Crane confirmed, and lifted the mobile phone to his ear. "Leftenant, you will wish to advise your Captain of this. There has been another victim."


End file.
